The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-09-03
MISTAKEN CHARITY.
A Small Story With Quite Large
Moral.

II call it extravaganza said Mrs
Mopley, with some heat. Mrs. Oar.
row is well able to bake her own cake
and do her own mcnding, yet she hires
Mrs. Tate by the day to mend stock
ings and do such light work for her,
and pays her seventy-tive cents apiece,
or fifty cents, or even a dollar, as the
case may be, Tor cakes. call it sheer
extravaganza, for Mrs. barrow 9 none
too well off. y
MRS. Darrow works hard, though, "
put in little Miss Vest, mildly.
"Ye-es, l know she always seems to
be busy admitted Mrs Mopley. "Bu'
she seems to be embroidering a great
deal"
Il have heard that she sells her
work in the city, and gets large price
for it"
Him. said Mrs. Mopley, doubt
fully, "the market for fancy work is
dreadfully overcrowded, l understand.
! should hardly think anybody SO far
away as Red Wing would stand much
of chance of selling things
But understand that Mrs. barrow
is what they call an expert
Eat any rate. | would manage in
some way to do my own baking and
mending. l call it shiftless not to-"
Mrs. Mopley spoke severely, and as
the richest woman in Red Wing, a
small town situated not so far west as
its name might indicate, she felt that
her influence should be given strongly
against shiftlessnesS.
But went on Miss Vest, who was
making q morning call, for business
purposes, on Mrs Mopley, Il must
not forget that l want you to head the
subscription for the home mission
aries"
Il will do so gladly said Mrs.
Mopley, who was proud of her "chari-
table, disposition. Let me see.
How much did l give last year? l
think it was ten dollars"
So Ms. Mopley put down ten dol
lars, and little Miss Vest moved on.
1t was perhaps an hour later that a
shabby. but respoctabIi.looking, WON.
an rang Mrs Moplcy's bell, and was
shown into her parlor by the one
house-scrvant that Mrs. Mopley kept.
II was the height of luxury in Red
Wing to keep one house-servant and a
coaehman-Mrs. Mopley's establish
mcnt."
Good morning. Mrs. Tate" said
Mrs. Mopley, rather rcservedly, as she
entered the parlor. Il hope your hus-
band is better"
Mrs. Tate and Mrs. Mopley had
been to school together. but that was
a long time ago, too long for the
friendly old relations to last really,
and they had not seen each other Oft
en- of late years.
mo, he is not,' began Mrs. Tate.
her voice trembling a little. ave had
saved up a little something,
besides paying for our house. but
this long illness has used up every
thing we had. l have sewed a
good deal. Mrs. barrow very kindly
employs me for one day each week.
and could do even more than that, il
there was anybody else to employ me.
Then, you know. ! have paid a good
deal OF attention to cooking. and if
you want any thing done in that line,
! wish you would let me try to do it."
Mrs. Tate's voice had grown firm be.
fore she finished. She had thought the
matter over so much that she had
hoped to get through without an in
stants wavcring
I'm not one of the extravagant
kind, you know, Mrs Tate" said Mrs.
Mopiey, somewhat coldly. But l
can not see an old friend suffer"
She drew her purse from her pocket
Mrs. Tate rose with dignity.
IL 10 not ask for charity" she said.
Il merely wish for work"
"Bnt can not afford to put out my
work. insisted Mrs. Mopley.
Very well, them" said Mrs. Tate.
81 do not wish for any thing but work"
II wish you would take this five
dollar bill, really" stammered Mrs.
Mopley.
IL need it badly enough. Heaven
knows! exclaimed Mrs. Tate, with n
burst Of tears. which she could not
help. but can not take IL without
returning something for II. Why
would 1t cost you any more. II should
give You five dollars worth Of work